Sandwich protector

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a sandwich protector comprising a folder-shaped container which is formed by a top cover, a bottom cover and a ridge joining the top cover and the bottom cover; and the ridge has two or more substantially parallel folding lines. The present invention is of simple structure, convenient for use and storage, reusable and environmental friendly. It can prevent the sandwich from being deformed under compression, and it can be adjusted according to the width of the sandwich.

The present invention relates to a sandwich protector and more particularly pertains to a foldable sandwich protector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The sandwich containers available in the marketplace can be broadly divided into two types, namely the boxes and the bags. Some sandwich boxes are made of soft transparent plastic in triangular shape with a cover on one side that can be opened and closed. However, this type of sandwich boxes will easily deform after being compressed. Besides, they are of a fixed dimension. If a sandwich has too much fillings or is too large, it can hardly be placed in the box. If the sandwich has little fillings or is smaller, there will be space in the box. It not only wastes the space, but also allows the fillings to spill out in the box which causes inconvenience in taking the sandwich. Some other sandwich boxes are made of hard plastic. Although this solves the problems of the deformed sandwiches and of the non-reusable sandwich boxes, there are still the problems of fixed shape and storage inconvenience.

For sandwich bags, they are generally made of transparent plastic. Their flexible seal openings can prevent the food from spilling out and when they are empty they can be folded to save storage spaces. However, as the sandwich bags are soft, the sandwiches will easily deform under compression, thereby affecting the appearance of the sandwiches and making users lose their appetite. Besides, sandwich bags are easy to depreciate. They are thrown away after using for two to three times and are not suitable for prolonged repeated use.

There are some vacuum food bags in the marketplace. Many users use them to store the sandwiches as they can keep the food fresh and avoid the breeding of bacteria. However, after the air is extracted from the vacuum bags, as the sandwiches are soft, they will easily deform under compression. This affects users' appetite.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforesaid disadvantages now present in the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a foldable sandwich protector which is of simple structure, convenient for use and storage, reusable and environmental friendly. It can prevent the sandwich from being deformed under compression, and it can be adjusted according to the width of the sandwich.

To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a folder-shaped container which is formed by a top cover, a bottom cover and a ridge joining the top cover and the bottom cover. The ridge has two or more substantially parallel folding lines.

The width of the top cover matches the height and measures 10 cm to 25 cm, and the width and the height of the bottom cover match those of the top cover and each measures 10 cm to 25 cm. The areas are sufficient to cover a sandwich of different size.

The width of the ridge measures 2 cm to 12 cm. Its height matches that of the top cover and that of the bottom cover and measures 10 cm to 25 cm. Its width is sufficient to hold a sandwich of different thickness.

The top cover, the bottom cover and the ridge can form one piece. The ridge is connected securely to the connecting lines of the top cover and the bottom cover and the folding lines thereon are pressed lines for easy folding.

The ridge can form one piece with either the top cover or the bottom cover. The ridge is connected securely to the connecting lines of the top cover or the bottom cover and the folding lines thereon are pressed lines for easy folding. The ridge is removably connected by a connecting mechanism to the bottom cover or the top cover to which it is not connected securely.

The top cover, bottom cover and the ridge are formed separately. The folding lines on the ridge are pressed lines for easy folding. The ridge is removably connected by a connecting mechanism in between the top cover and the bottom cover.

The connecting mechanism comprises two or more openings or projections on the edge of the ridge, and two or more projections corresponding to and removably connecting to the openings of the ridge, or two or more openings corresponding to and removably connecting to the projections of the ridge, on the edge of the top cover or the bottom cover, thereby a removable connecting mechanism is formed by the connection of the openings and projections.

The connecting structure comprises two or more substantially parallel rows of openings or projections on the ridge, with each row having two or more openings or projections, and two or more projections corresponding to and removably connecting to the openings on any row of the ridge, or two or more openings corresponding to and removably connecting to the projections on any row of the ridge, on the edge of the top cover or the bottom cover. The width of the ridge can be adjusted according to the thickness of the sandwich by having the plurality of openings or projections, thereby reducing the spaces between the sandwich protector and the sandwich, and further preventing the incidents of being deformed under compression or spilling out of fillings.

The surface of the top cover, the bottom cover or the ridge has a plurality of perforations for ventilation, thereby avoiding water vapours from condensing in the sandwich affecting the quality of the sandwich.

The surface of the top cover, the bottom cover or the ridge has a plurality of hollows or projections, and the bottom surface of which has a plurality of hollows which correspond to the projections on surface, or a plurality of projections which correspond to the hollows on surface. The folder-shaped container can be flattened and a plurality of them can be placed together in layers by connecting the hollows or projections on the bottom surface of the top cover, the bottom cover or the ridge of a folder-shaped container to the corresponding projections or hollows on the surface of the top cover, the bottom cover or the ridge of another folder-shaped container immediately underneath, thereby removably connecting one folder-shaped container with another one underneath. This mechanism enables the overlapping of a plurality of sandwich protectors for easy storage and space saving.

To use the present invention, users may place the sandwich in between the top cover and the bottom cover, and then put it into a bag. In order to optimize the effect of keeping the sandwich from being deformed under compression, users may simply put the present invention together with the sandwich into a vacuum bag and extract the air inside.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention in the shape of a holder.

FIG. 2 shows the perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention when flattened.

FIG. 3 shows the perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention in the shape of a holder.

FIG. 4 shows the perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention when flattened.

FIG. 5 shows the perspective view of the third embodiment of the present invention in the shape of a holder.

FIG. 6 shows the perspective view of the third embodiment of the present invention when flattened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is further described in detail by means of the following embodiments and the accompanying drawings. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a folder-shaped container 1, a top cover 2, a bottom cover 3 and a ridge 4 joining the two covers. They are made of polypropylene which is suitable for storing food. In this embodiment, the width of the top cover 2 matches the height and measures 13 cm. The width and height of the bottom cover match those of the top cover and each measures 13 cm. The surface areas of the top cover 2 and the bottom cover 3 are sufficient to cover an ordinary sandwich. The width of the ridge measures 6.5 cm, which is thicker than the height of an ordinary sandwich for the purpose of holding the same. Its height matches that of the top cover 2 and that of the bottom cover 3 and measures 13 cm. On the ridge 4, there are four substantially parallel folding lines 5.

In this embodiment, the ridge 4 can form one piece with the bottom cover 3. The ridge 4 is connected securely to the connecting lines 6 of the bottom cover 3 and the folding lines 5 thereon are pressed lines for easy folding. The ridge 4 is removably connected by a connecting mechanism to the top cover 2 to which it is not connected securely.

In this embodiment, the connecting structure comprises four substantially parallel rows of openings 7 on the ridge 4, with each row having two openings 7, and two projections 8 corresponding to and removably connecting to the openings 7 on any row of the ridge 4 on the edge of the top cover 2. The width of the ridge 4 can be adjusted according to the thickness of the sandwich by connecting the projections 8 on the edge of the top cover 2 to the appropriate openings 7 on the ridge 4 to hold the sandwich, thereby reducing the spaces between the sandwich protector and the sandwich, and further preventing the incidents of being deformed under compression or spilling out of fillings.

In addition, in this embodiment, the surfaces of the top cover 2 and the bottom cover 3 have a plurality of perforations 9 for ventilation, thereby avoiding water vapours from condensing in the sandwich affecting the quality of the sandwich. The surfaces of the top cover 2 and the bottom cover 3 have a plurality of projections 10, and the bottom surfaces of which have a plurality of hollows 11 which correspond to the projections 10. The folder-shaped container 1 can be flattened and a plurality of the folder-shaped containers 1 can be placed together in layers by connecting the hollows 11 of the folder-shaped container 1 to the projections 10 of the folder-shaped container 1 immediately underneath, thereby removably connecting the folder-shaped container 1 with the folder-shaped container 1 underneath. This mechanism enables the overlapping of a plurality of sandwich protectors for easy storage and space saving.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the second embodiment of the present invention. Its structure is substantially similar to that of the first embodiment. It also comprises a folder-shaped container 1, a top cover 2, a bottom cover 3 and a ridge 4 joining the two covers. However, in this embodiment, the top cover 2, the bottom cover 3 and the ridge 4 form one piece. The ridge 4 is connected securely to the connecting lines of the top cover 2 and the bottom cover 3 and the folding lines 6 thereon are pressed lines for easy folding. Although users cannot use this embodiment to flexibly adjust the height of the ridge 4 according to the thickness of the sandwich, this embodiment is of a simple structure and a lower production cost, which is suitable for the manufacturers to package a large volume of sandwiches of the same size.

FIGS. 5 and 6 shows the third embodiment of the present invention. Its structure is substantially similar to that of the first embodiment. It also comprises a folder-shaped container 1, a top cover 2, a bottom cover 3 and a ridge 4 joining the two covers. However, in this embodiment, the top cover 2, bottom cover 3 and the ridge 4 are formed separately. On the ridge 4, there are five folding lines 5, which are pressed lines for easy folding. The ridge 4 is removably connected by a connecting mechanism in between the top cover 2 and the bottom cover 3. The connecting structure comprises six substantially parallel rows of openings 7 on the ridge 4, with each row having two openings 7, and two projections 8 corresponding to and removably connecting to the openings 7 on any row of the ridge 4 on the edges of the top cover 2 and the bottom cover 3. In other embodiments, the connecting structure may also comprise two openings 7 on the two edges of the ridge 4, and two projections 8 corresponding to and removably connecting to the openings 7 on the ridge 4 on the edges of the top cover 2 and the bottom cover 3.

To use the present invention, users may place the sandwich in between the top cover and the bottom cover, and then put it into a bag. In order to optimize the effect of keeping the sandwich from being deformed under compression, users may simply put the present invention together with the sandwich into a vacuum bag and extract the air inside. The present invention is of simple structure, convenient for use and storage, reusable and environmental friendly. It can prevent the sandwich from being deformed under compression, and it can be adjusted according to the width of the sandwich. 

1. A sandwich protector comprising a folder-shaped container which is formed by a top cover, a bottom cover and a ridge joining the top cover and the bottom cover; and the ridge has two or more substantially parallel folding lines.
 2. The sandwich protector as in claim 1, wherein the width of the top cover matches the height and measures 10 cm to 25 cm, and the width and the height of the bottom cover match those of the top cover and each measures 10 cm to 25 cm.
 3. The sandwich protector as in claim 1, wherein the width of the ridge measures 2 cm to 12 cm; its height matches that of the top cover and that of the bottom cover and measures 10 cm to 25 cm.
 4. The sandwich protector as in claim 1, wherein the top cover, the bottom cover and the ridge form one piece; the ridge is connected securely to the connecting lines of the top cover and the bottom cover and the folding lines thereon are pressed lines.
 5. The sandwich protector as in claim 1, wherein the ridge form one piece with either the top cover or the bottom cover; the ridge is connected securely to the connecting lines of the top cover or the bottom cover and the folding lines thereon are pressed lines, and the ridge is removably connected by a connecting mechanism to the bottom cover or the top cover to which it is not connected securely.
 6. The sandwich protector as in claim 1, wherein the top cover, bottom cover and the ridge are formed separately; the folding lines on the ridge are pressed lines; the ridge is removably connected by a connecting mechanism in between the top cover and the bottom cover.
 7. The sandwich protector as in claim 5 or 6, wherein the connecting mechanism comprises two or more openings or projections on the edge of the ridge, and two or more projections corresponding to and removably connecting to the openings of the ridge, or two or more openings corresponding to and removably connecting to the projections of the ridge, on the edge of the top cover or the bottom cover.
 8. The sandwich protector as in claim 5 or 6, wherein the connecting structure comprises two or more substantially parallel rows of openings or projections on the ridge, with each row having two or more openings or projections, and two or more projections corresponding to and removably connecting to the openings on any row of the ridge, or two or more openings corresponding to and removably connecting to the projections on any row of the ridge, on the edge of the top cover or the bottom cover.
 9. The sandwich protector as in claim 1, wherein the surface of the top cover, the bottom cover or the ridge has a plurality of hollows or projections, and the bottom surface of which has a plurality of hollows which correspond to the projections on surface, or a plurality of projections which correspond to the hollows on surface; the folder-shaped container can be flattened and a plurality of them can be placed together in layers by connecting the hollows or projections on the bottom surface of the top cover, the bottom cover or the ridge of a folder-shaped container to the corresponding projections or hollows on the surface of the top cover, the bottom cover or the ridge of another folder-shaped container immediately underneath, thereby removably connecting one folder-shaped container with another one underneath. 